I have seen The Movie!
And it is brilliant.
I'll mention specific scenes here, not just general thoughts... yeah. Just so you don't kill me if you read something you'd rather not *g*
Right, well.
It's Marvellous.
I actually spent about the first half-hour killing myself laughing - it has some great one-liners, especially from Ron (spiders asking him to tap-dance? lmao!). There's so much humour from just about everyone (including Dumbledoreyay), but I think the thing which really stood out was the way the character's interact. In previous films, they might have all filed into the common room in single file, more or less silently. Here, the kids pour in, amidst a babble of noise, and we hear Harry and Seamus laughing over the Fat Lady's inability to sing. It all just felt more natural, like these are real kids, in a real school, just having a chat about whatever.
In terms of the scenery, it's a gorgeous film. I've heard critics mention this a few times, but it's something I noticed too - the camera never stops moving. Nothing is static or flat, and everything comes to life. I love the whirring clock tower, with its mulititide of moving parts. I love the Whomping Willow, thwaping pretty little birds out of existance. I loved Harry's Patronus at the end, wooshing outwards in a series of shockwaves. Quidditch in the rain managed to be a thousand times more thrilling than it was in CoS or PS. Hedwig flying from Autumn to Winter, Dementors freezing flowers as they drifted past... I loved the ending too -- damn, that Firebolt is fast. Everything is put together so beautifully.
The score is a little different too. Creepier. I liked very much.
Remus Lupin stole the book for me. David Thewlis steals this movie. He might not look like my Lupin, but damn. He acts like him. He listens to swing music. He tells Harry about his parents (especially Lily! She sounds wonderful). He is kind. He is thoughtful. He is Remus. They spelt "Moony" wrong on the Marauder's Map though. Erk *g*
Sirius was perfect. I love Gary Oldman passionately in this role. He was on the edge, and intent on murder, and so perfect. I have to admit I wibbled quite a bit when he said he couldn't wait to walk back through Hogwarts doors as a free man... *weeps*
Peter was everything I expected him to be. His best moment was the little smirk-wave-combo he gave Harry & co just as he changed back into a rat and made his escape. Grrr!
Ships -- Actually, there was only one real R/Hr moment, and that's the one in the trailer. A few more H/Hr moments (but maybe I'm biased). An abundance of Harry/Draco, I swear to god I positively squeed everytime they were on screen together. When Draco sized Harry up in Buckbeak's enclosure, just before yelling about the Dementor? AHAhaha! Totally slashy! ;-) Orrrr, perhaps I have been reading too much H/D *g*
But! I didn't get the Remus/Sirius vibe a few people have mentioned. To me, they're just friends here. It was a brotherly hug, not a lover's embrace, but as always the relationship is left open to interpretation. I will say that the bit where Sirius holds Remus during the transformation, only for Moony to throw him off in the final moments was beautifully poignant. Even after 12 years, it's plain how much Sirius cares for his "old friend".
Speaking of the transformation, I loved the bit where we see the reflection of the moon in Remus' blue eyes, and when we zoom out again his eyes are ever so slightly amber. The werewolf didn't look anything like how I imagined - it was much, much better. Thin and about the same mass as Remus but with very elogated limbs, its hind legs are incredibly powerful. It looks otherworldly and unnatural, but I believed that thing could kill me in a heartbeat. I believed that thing was really roaming through the forest. I believed, man, I believed. And I believed Buckbeak was real too. And the Dementors. Scared the life out of me. I was actually shivering when they appeared on the train; they were profoundly creepy.
In fact, the only thing I regret is that they didn't explain the origin of the map, or why Harry's Patronus took the shape of a stag. But hey, maybe that'll be in the DVD (I hope so!). They moved things around in the chronology, and blah, but I didn't care, I scarcely noticed. It's a movie, not a 100% faithful adaptation, and it works much better for that, I think. It would probably be harder for someone who hasn't read the books to follow though - Trelawney's prophecy is there, but is never elaborated on. The whole thing with Buckbeak's execution is a bit abrupt, and there is very little Crookshanks-Scabbers interaction. But meh, I don't care, I have read the books, and I followed it easily *g*
And... that's all I can think to talk about. Suffice it to say: I'll worship Alfonso forever ♥
I met a girl in the lobby of the cinema while queueing for popcorn. She was very nice, except for this:
Girl: So. Harry Potter!
Me: Oh, yeah! I'm a big fan.
Girl: Me too! What are you, fifth year?
Me: Er...?
Girl: In school? Are you a fifth year?
Me: wah.
Why do people keep thinking I'm 15/16? Even the bus driver asks me for a child's fare. I'm almost 21, folks! Twenty-one. I guess on the bright side, I'll never need Oil of Olay :\
I have to go study now. *scurries away*
I'll mention specific scenes here, not just general thoughts... yeah. Just so you don't kill me if you read something you'd rather not *g*
Right, well.
It's Marvellous.
I actually spent about the first half-hour killing myself laughing - it has some great one-liners, especially from Ron (spiders asking him to tap-dance? lmao!). There's so much humour from just about everyone (including Dumbledoreyay), but I think the thing which really stood out was the way the character's interact. In previous films, they might have all filed into the common room in single file, more or less silently. Here, the kids pour in, amidst a babble of noise, and we hear Harry and Seamus laughing over the Fat Lady's inability to sing. It all just felt more natural, like these are real kids, in a real school, just having a chat about whatever.
In terms of the scenery, it's a gorgeous film. I've heard critics mention this a few times, but it's something I noticed too - the camera never stops moving. Nothing is static or flat, and everything comes to life. I love the whirring clock tower, with its mulititide of moving parts. I love the Whomping Willow, thwaping pretty little birds out of existance. I loved Harry's Patronus at the end, wooshing outwards in a series of shockwaves. Quidditch in the rain managed to be a thousand times more thrilling than it was in CoS or PS. Hedwig flying from Autumn to Winter, Dementors freezing flowers as they drifted past... I loved the ending too -- damn, that Firebolt is fast. Everything is put together so beautifully.
The score is a little different too. Creepier. I liked very much.
Remus Lupin stole the book for me. David Thewlis steals this movie. He might not look like my Lupin, but damn. He acts like him. He listens to swing music. He tells Harry about his parents (especially Lily! She sounds wonderful). He is kind. He is thoughtful. He is Remus. They spelt "Moony" wrong on the Marauder's Map though. Erk *g*
Sirius was perfect. I love Gary Oldman passionately in this role. He was on the edge, and intent on murder, and so perfect. I have to admit I wibbled quite a bit when he said he couldn't wait to walk back through Hogwarts doors as a free man... *weeps*
Peter was everything I expected him to be. His best moment was the little smirk-wave-combo he gave Harry & co just as he changed back into a rat and made his escape. Grrr!
Ships -- Actually, there was only one real R/Hr moment, and that's the one in the trailer. A few more H/Hr moments (but maybe I'm biased). An abundance of Harry/Draco, I swear to god I positively squeed everytime they were on screen together. When Draco sized Harry up in Buckbeak's enclosure, just before yelling about the Dementor? AHAhaha! Totally slashy! ;-) Orrrr, perhaps I have been reading too much H/D *g*
But! I didn't get the Remus/Sirius vibe a few people have mentioned. To me, they're just friends here. It was a brotherly hug, not a lover's embrace, but as always the relationship is left open to interpretation. I will say that the bit where Sirius holds Remus during the transformation, only for Moony to throw him off in the final moments was beautifully poignant. Even after 12 years, it's plain how much Sirius cares for his "old friend".
Speaking of the transformation, I loved the bit where we see the reflection of the moon in Remus' blue eyes, and when we zoom out again his eyes are ever so slightly amber. The werewolf didn't look anything like how I imagined - it was much, much better. Thin and about the same mass as Remus but with very elogated limbs, its hind legs are incredibly powerful. It looks otherworldly and unnatural, but I believed that thing could kill me in a heartbeat. I believed that thing was really roaming through the forest. I believed, man, I believed. And I believed Buckbeak was real too. And the Dementors. Scared the life out of me. I was actually shivering when they appeared on the train; they were profoundly creepy.
In fact, the only thing I regret is that they didn't explain the origin of the map, or why Harry's Patronus took the shape of a stag. But hey, maybe that'll be in the DVD (I hope so!). They moved things around in the chronology, and blah, but I didn't care, I scarcely noticed. It's a movie, not a 100% faithful adaptation, and it works much better for that, I think. It would probably be harder for someone who hasn't read the books to follow though - Trelawney's prophecy is there, but is never elaborated on. The whole thing with Buckbeak's execution is a bit abrupt, and there is very little Crookshanks-Scabbers interaction. But meh, I don't care, I have read the books, and I followed it easily *g*
And... that's all I can think to talk about. Suffice it to say: I'll worship Alfonso forever ♥
I met a girl in the lobby of the cinema while queueing for popcorn. She was very nice, except for this:
Girl: So. Harry Potter!
Me: Oh, yeah! I'm a big fan.
Girl: Me too! What are you, fifth year?
Me: Er...?
Girl: In school? Are you a fifth year?
Me: wah.
Why do people keep thinking I'm 15/16? Even the bus driver asks me for a child's fare. I'm almost 21, folks! Twenty-one. I guess on the bright side, I'll never need Oil of Olay :\
I have to go study now. *scurries away*